Today, the House Appropriations committee rejected an amendment to strike the abortion rider from the fiscal year 2012 D.C. Appropriations bill. Norton is pleased that with the critical help of a new coalition of national organizations, no new riders were added to bill, but she said the "city cannot be satisfied until we have returned to the clean D.C. appropriations we achieved when Democrats controlled the House."

Norton said that the DC Vote rally is especially timely because the D.C. appropriations bill was passed by the full appropriations committee today and is headed to the House floor with a prohibition on city spending for abortions for low-income women, which must be removed.

"Saturday's rally will make history and serve notice that all branches of government are responsible for protecting the District's rights to local self-governance, particularly its right to spend local funds as it sees fit," said Norton. Saturday will mark the first time I have seen residents and national organizations alike, assemble at the White House to call on an administration to step up to help protect the city's home-rule, and Saturday may well be the first time that a rally has been designed not only for protest, but for fun for all ages, complete with musical performances, poster face-making, and the like. Our families are enthusiastic supporters of democracy for D.C., but those with kids have trouble coming to rallies. A Saturday of fun and protest will be perfect for kids, parents, and the rest of us."

The House Appropriations Committee convened this morning at 9:30 am to consider the DC appropriations bill that the DC subcommittee passed last week. We are currently waiting for word on whether any DC riders were added, in addition to those already included in the bill concerning reproductive freedom and public education.

Washington, DC residents, who already lack voting representation in Congress, have been treated even more like second-class citizens by this Republican Congress, adding insult to injury.

Republicans used the budget deal earlier this year to attack DC home rule and District women's access to healthcare. They banned the use of local funds (NOT federal tax dollars) from being used for reproductive healthcare for low-income women.

Now, Republicans are threatening a series of "policy riders" on the DC appropriations bill for 2012 that would micro-manage the lives of DC residents from our classrooms to our safety to our health, having already passed more attacks on women's health and public education.

So much for the "party of small government."

Please join us, along with DC residents and DC rights supporters from the greater metro area, THIS SATURDAY, at 11:00am at the White House to tell President Obama to stand up for DC.

Let the president know that this attack on DC residents' fundamental rights is a deal breaker. Both he and the Democratic leadership in the Senate need to stand up for the nearly 600,000 residents of our nation's capital -- come out this Saturday and let them know it.

[A]s expected, there were no new riders added today at a House Subcommittee markup of the fiscal year 2012 Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill, but warned that it would not be the first time that there is quiet before a storm as the bill goes to the full appropriations committee next Thursday and then to the House floor. Norton said that, just as with the 2011 appropriations bill, "Keeping home-rule intact in the 2012 appropriations bill is essentially a job for the Senate and the Obama administration."

Click here to RSVP, and here to learn about additional opportunities to support DC Vote on June 25.

As you may know, there have been dozens of civil disobedience arrests this year of citizens who stood up for the District’s right to self-govern. Neither PFAW nor AAMIA are organizing a civil disobedience action for June 25. If you need assistance, you may contact DC Vote directly.

Last week, DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton hosted a pressconference on Capitol Hill in defense of her city. Speaking out against several policy riders that have been passed or threatened by conservatives in Congress, Delegate Norton, DC Mayor Vincent Gray, DC Vote, and members of the civil rights community, includingPeople For the American Way and African American Ministers in Action, voiced their support for autonomy and the right to self-government for the people of the District of Columbia.

PFAW and AAMIA just got their first glimpse of the FY12 DC appropriations bill. While some issues were spared, other riders are in.

The bill that funds the District includes a provision restricting the city from spending federally appropriated and locally collected funds on abortion services, except in cases where the mother’s life is in danger or the pregnancy was a result of rape or incest.

It also includes $60 million for a federally funded, private-school voucher program, a key priority for Boehner.

Rather than address the many complex issues facing our nation, House Republicans are choosing to threaten women's constitutional rights by attacking choice and preventive care, and they are taking every chance they get to force their social priorities on the people of Washington, DC.

And while there is no doubt that educational opportunities and standards must be improved across the country, allocating money to private schools at the expense of public school students is not the way to succeed. Public dollars must continue to fund public services.

PFAW and AAMIA continue to believe that enough is enough – the people of DC deserve a voice. We hope that voice will be heard loud and clear on June 25 at the White House Rally for DC Democracy, organized by our friends at DC Vote.

Click here to RSVP, and here to learn about additional opportunities to support DC Vote on June 25.

As you may know, there have been dozens of civil disobedience arrests this year of citizens who stood up for the District’s right to self-govern. Neither PFAW nor AAMIA are organizing a civil disobedience action for June 25. If you need assistance, you may contact DC Vote directly.